


Be a woman soon

by megyal



Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-02
Updated: 2009-11-02
Packaged: 2017-10-12 02:59:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/120023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megyal/pseuds/megyal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay, this might be a little off-putting to some, since it's about... okay, a girl getting her period for the first time. But when you're training to be a ninja, it can be a little more than that. That's what I was thinking, anyway! Thanks to <a href="http://txilar.livejournal.com/profile"><img/></a><a href="http://txilar.livejournal.com/"><strong>txilar</strong></a> for giving this a quick readover at one stage.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Be a woman soon

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this might be a little off-putting to some, since it's about... okay, a girl getting her period for the first time. But when you're training to be a ninja, it can be a little more than that. That's what I was thinking, anyway! Thanks to [](http://txilar.livejournal.com/profile)[**txilar**](http://txilar.livejournal.com/) for giving this a quick readover at one stage.

For one single day in all of Team 7's training and missions, Sakura was late.

Naruto spent long moments alternating between loud complaints and worried speculations ("Do you think Sakura-chan is hurt? Why is she LATE? SHE'S _NEVER_ LATE!") and Sasuke looked as if he was trying to find a way to care less, while narrowing his eyes at Naruto in annoyance. Kakashi was sitting on the railing of the bridge, flicking through his book to find a favourite sexypart.

"The mission isn't that urgent," he said carelessly, eye tracking over the much-beloved words. "We'll wait five more minutes. Then we'll just leave without her."

Within three minutes, however (in which Naruto envisaged at least fourteen Very Bad Things happening to Sakura-chan), the missing girl ran up, her normal smile plastered on her face. Kakashi peeped at her over the top of his book, nodding at her breathless apologies and frowning at Naruto.

Kakashi took a deep sniff and raised one eyebrow; her scent was changed, a very slight coppery tinge layered underneath that of freshly clean skin.

"Okay everyone!" Kakashi leaped off the railing and tried to appear enthusiastic for this mission. It involved repairing a fence for a dairy-farm some miles outside of Konoha, and Kakashi was not looking forward to it at all. "Let's go. Naruto and Sasuke, take the lead."

"But why?" Naruto whined, even as Sasuke simply raced off to the forest and launched himself into the trees. "I don't want to be paired with that--"

"He's ahead of you," Kakashi pointed out. "I don't think you'll be able to catch up with him."

"Of course I can!" Naruto bellowed, predictably, and barrelled off.

"Sakura," Kakashi muttered before Sakura followed as well, "one moment."

"I'm sorry I was late, Kaka-sensei," Sakura said instantly, but her eyes were looking at everywhere else but his face. "I was talking to Kurenai-sensei." She blinked rapidly and the expression on her face was slightly mutinous, as if thinking about all those times Kakashi had been late, strolling to the bridge hours after the appointed time.

"I see. But are you hurt?"

"What?" Sakura stared right in his face, her eyes wide. "I mean, why do you ask, sensei?"

Kakashi lifted a shoulder. "It's just that I can smell a little blood--"

Sakura flushed deeply. Her shoulders tensed and her fists clenched; she looked like she was preparing to fight or to run away.

"It's... Kaka-sensei," she said heavily, her face still that alarming shade of red. "It's my period."

"Oh. _Oh_." Kakashi raised his hand and rubbed the back of his head, suddenly very awkward. Goodness. This never happened in Icha Icha. "Well, I'm sure Kurenai-sensei told you all that you needed to know?"

Sakura nodded and then shrugged. "Yes. Can... can we go now, sensei?"

Wordlessly, Kakashi nodded at his only female student and closed his eye briefly as she dashed away.

He was praying for patience... and the strength to deal with Naruto if he ever found out.

*

Sakura had already known about all the mechanics of the female body changing; she had voraciously read every booklet her mother had left in her room, and had felt fairly prepared for it. She had even been carrying clean strips of thicker cotton in her pouch, just in case, for a few months now.

Yet, when it had come last night, she had been overcome with worry. Suppose it spilled over and messed up her dress? Suppose Naruto saw it and made a big deal... and suppose Sasuke-kun saw it? She would die of shame. Just curl up and die.

Her mother had been fairly practical about her unspoken fretting. "Maybe you can talk to one of the kunoichi? I'm sure they would know about... I don't know, how to deal with this. During battle, I mean."

Her mother's face had been fairly resigned while she said this, as if just now realizing that her daughter was training to be a fighting machine, designed to protect their village and way of life. Sakura's father had a constantly pained expression, even though she and her mother spoke of this in low voices, hidden in Sakura's bedroom. Every time he found some excuse to wander by, he would look in and shake his head slightly, lips compressed into a tight line.

Sakura knew that this just meant he was worried, and had felt her heart swell with affection.

Speaking with Kurenai-sensei had been... eye-opening. Sakura had found her in one of the training fields in the morning, watching her students with an intent expression in her crimson eyes.

After Sakura had bravely explained her need for some questions, Kurenai had smiled at her and sent her team on a quick exercise.

"Thank you for coming to me," Kurenai had said as they settled under a tree. "I'll try my best to be of help."

Sakura looked at her in surprise, really paying attention to the details of her face; Kurenai-sensei had returned her gaze steadily, waiting for Sakura to begin. Sakura had cast around her mind for the best way to ask her questions, wondering if she would sound like a stupid little baby.

"Most people won't know." Kurenai's steady smile hadn't changed as Sakura turned grateful eyes back to her. "But Kakashi-sensei might." She tapped her nose meaningfully and Sakura had made a face. "There are ways to stop the flow temporarily, using your chakra to build an internal block." Kurenai went through the hand-signs that were needed and then nodded as Sakura copied her diligently. "This doesn't take up too much of your chakra, but it isn't recommended to keep it up for a long time. It's best used during stealth missions, or during long battles."

Sakura had nodded, trying to burn the details of this into her mind. She tried to keep from flailing as Kurenai-sensei spoke calmly about sex.

"I know about that part, sensei," she had muttered, her ears burning. _Sex_. Wow.

"Yes, I suppose you would." Kurenai gave her a direct stare. "But as kunoichi, it is sometimes required of us to take certain roles during missions." She lowered her eyelids for a moment, and then looked up again, red eyes intent. "You're all too young to know of these things," she said in a low voice, as if she was asking herself that question. "Don't you think so?"

Sakura really didn't understand, but she had nodded anyway. Kurenai gave her a glance which meant that she _knew_ Sakura didn't quite get it... but she would, very soon.

*

Sasuke kept giving Sakura weighty stares, his black eyes drilling. Kakashi noticed this, and said nothing.

Naruto noticed this and said _a lot_.

"Why are you looking at her like that?" he demanded as he hammered nails haphazardly into the fence they were repairing. Kakashi caught one as it flickered into the air and gave Naruto a sidelong stare; Naruto looked sheepish for a second, then went back to pestering Sasuke.

"Stop staring at her like that! That's creepy!"

"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura screeched and Kakashi sighed heavily. "Just stop bugging us!"

"He's the one making the creepy eyes! Why aren't you shouting at _him_!"

"You're moving differently," Sasuke commented flatly and everyone went still, even Naruto, who blinked at Sakura with great concern. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm not moving differently, Sasuke-kun," Sakura defended in meek tones, but she _was_. Most people wouldn't notice, because she wasn't acting feebly... but she was holding herself differently, elbows tucked in closer to her sides, shoulders hunched as if she wanted to pull in on herself. It was different from her usual open stance and of _course_ Sasuke would pick it up.

Nevertheless, he simply went "Hmm," and went back to measuring the length of board in his hand, resting it on their makeshift worktable to saw it at the perfect length.

Naruto, to Kakashi's exasperation, stopped completely and just tilted his head, blinking at Sakura's tense body.

"Sakura-chan?" He finally ventured and Kakashi braced himself as Sakura shot him a venomous glare; quite possibly she was in some pain, or at least discomfort, and Naruto annoying her wasn't going to help at all.

"What." This came out through clenched teeth.

Naruto hesitated, and then reached into his pouch and took out a long strip of bright orange cloth. He clenched it in his hands, clumsily warming it with a heating jutsu. Kakashi raised his eyebrows very high when he walked over to Sakura and tied the cloth around her waist, making sure the heated part was resting on her stomach.

"Whenever Anko-san feels this way, Iruka-sensei does this for her," Naruto said with a lopsided smile. "She always comes over to his place and makes a lot of noise and eats all his food... even when it's, you know, not that time of the month for her. Iruka-sensei says she's like a female me, which is not really true, because I sure don't eat _all_ his food, just _some_ \--"

He trailed off, scratching the back of his head self-consciously, for everyone was staring at Naruto as if he had turned into a fish, flopping on land. Naruto shrugged and turned back to his work.

The hammering started again, Sasuke beating in nails methodically.

"Thank you," Sakura said quietly; Sasuke paused, but continued. Naruto let out his loudest laugh.

"No problem!" he beamed, face as bright as the sun. "After all, your body is just getting ready to carry all our future children! That's what Iruka-sensei said about girls' periods, anyway."

Kakashi wanted to laugh out loud as Sakura punched Naruto in the head, yelling at him at the top of her voice; even Sasuke's face appeared generally amused.

The Number One Unexpected Ninja had struck again.

 _fin_


End file.
